Just a Year
by Yuxume
Summary: Princess Garnet wishes to go to a public school in Lindblum for the experience. Could there be an underlying reason? Will one year be enough? T for language, and romance.


**A/N: I'm new to the FFIX department of ****, so please be patient with me. I love criticism, but, of course, please no flaming. This is an idea that just popped into my head. **

**As a bit of an explanation, this **_**does **_**mainly take place in Lindblum, but I made it so Lindblum and a few small towns (might include Dali) are on one side of the planet, and everything else is across that big blue ocean. So, Alexandria, Treno, and other things are overseas. Basically, I chopped up the geography and mixed it up. :D**

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><p>"Princess, are you sure...? Lindblum is so far, and we are not so familiar with that land..."<p>

A girl sat at a long table, back straight and sitting primly while she drank from a gold-inlaid teacup. Her long, dark hair cascaded down her back in a low ponytail that was tied at the bottom with a gold clip. Her fair skin only complimented her warm, brown eyes and heart-shaped face. No one could have looked more elegant than she in the white, sleeveless dress that fit perfectly to her slim frame. A design of green leaves and vines wrapped itself around her waist and up towards her chest. A silver crown twisted gracefully through her hair, green jewels shining within it. Her slender fingers fingered at the necklace at her throat, also adorned with precious green stones.

As she set down the cup with a delicate _clink, _Princess Garnet til Alexandros XVII turned her head and smiled kindly. "Oh, Beatrix... There is nothing to worry about. I do not not believe that many in Lindblum have me recognized by face, even if they have heard of me, due to their location. They are, after all, quite far away."

"Besides," The charming girl continued as she stood, carefully plucking up the cup and saucer. "With both you and Steiner with me, I am sure no harm will come to me." She placed the tableware on a tray, which was carried away by a servant, who she thanked with a grateful nod.

The princess turned and walked around the table, kneeling down in front of the chestnut-haired knight whose form was bowed to her. "Beatrix, please rise."

The woman obeyed, straightening up to her full height. She was taller than the princess, and habitually tossed her hair back, revealing a silver eye patch covering her right eye while her other blue one surveyed her surroundings with a calculating glance.

"When will we be leaving?"

"In an hour, Princess."

Garnet nodded. "Very well. I shall have to go comfort Mother before I leave. It would seem that she is still sulking." She bit her lip. "I... _did _sort of force her to allow me to go."

Beatrix's face cracked into a small smile. "No, Princess. You are just a rather determined young girl. Now, come. I will help you change out of your formal attire, and into more comfortable, traveling wear. A bed will be waiting for you on the airship. You must be about ready to collapse from the meeting today."

Garnet nodded once more, silently, before exiting the dining hall and stepping lightly into the Main Hall. She must act like a Princess. She must look like a Princess. And yet, underneath the mask of calm and control, her body ached for a rest...

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><p>"<em>YO, ZIDANE!"<em>

The door to a room blasted open and a red-headed teen stepped into the room, adjusting the buckle-like forehead strap so he could peer around the room, unhindered, with his right eye. His left was covered by a brown eyepatch.

The room itself looked like a normal teenager's. It's brown walls were bare except for three posters, two of them with a few beautiful girls, and a mirror. A desk, messy and piled with random knick-knacks, stood against the wall closest to the door, a rolling chair sitting vacantly in front of it. An unkempt bed was in the far corner, it's covers in a heap.

The red-haired boy stepped forward, almost immediately tripping on the various things strewn across the ground. He cursed quietly, and turned his head to look at the desk. His cheek was immediately met with a finger, and he stared for a moment before giving a yell.

"_Damn it, Zidane!_ Stop that, already!"

The finger belonged to a boy with blond hair and smiling, blue eyes. The golden locks swayed beneath him as he hung upside down from the ceiling, the ends held together with a blue band. His legs, however, were crossed and free from contact with the rafters above, due to the fact that he hung from his _tail. _

"Hey, Blank!" Zidane's finger retreated and his tail uncurled from the rafters. Flipped himself right side up, he landed neatly on his feet and stretched, flicking dust from his outfit, which consisted of blue jeans, a belt, a blue vest with a white shirt underneath, and blue, detached cuffs. "Wasshup, mate?" He asked in a goofy, artificial accent.

Blank sighed, hands half-rising from his side in exasperation. "Dude, c'mon. We've got school tomorrow. You haven't gotten any of your stuff ready. Oh, we're going out."

"Geez, don't remind me of school... What do you mean 'out?'"

"Yeah, we're heading to the pub."

"_Alright!_" Zidane pumped his fist. "Just wait a moment, and I'll be ready to go!"

"Nope."

"Huh...? What d'you mean, 'nope?'"

"The boss said you couldn't, 'cause you decided to go on that date with... what's her name? Vivian. Yeah. You went on a date with her, instead of getting all your stuff for school ready."

"Mmm... Black-haired girl?"

"Uh, no, I think she was blond."

"Eh? Isn't that Cindy?"

"Dude, _see_? What the hell, man, you don't even remember all the girls you date!"

"Maybe I should keep a book."

"Maybe you should stop being such a player."

Zidane put most of his weight on his right leg, bending his head to glance up at Blank with an angled stare, a coy smile on his face. "Oh, _I _get it. You're just _jealous _that I've got myself a girl."

Blank rolled his eyes, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Yeah, right. 'A girl.' More like fifteen of 'em. And if you don't think I'm a ladies' man, you're wrong."

"Yeah, yeah." Zidane waved the comment off casually, strolling slyly out the door. Blank opened his mouth to say something, but closed it and shrugged, following his pony-tailed friend.

The two lived in a small boys' dormitory, with a man called Baku who had taken them all in. The downstairs had Baku's room, the kitchen, the dining room, the living room, and the other shared places. The second floor had everyone's separate rooms, so Blank had to descend a flight of stairs before reaching the area where everyone was.

Once he had stepped off the bottom step, Blank immediately leaped out of the way as Zidane went crashing onto the spot where Blank had just been standing. Zidane wiped his mouth and leaped back onto his feet. "What the hell was that for, Baku?" He yelled at the purple-mustached man who had punched him.

"You ain't going nowhere 'til you've got everything ready for school! You can eat the leftovers in the fridge. C'mon, boys! Let's go." The large man tromped out of the door, the other boys filing out behind him. Marcus, Blank and Zidane's best friend, raised his eyebrows at the punched boy.

"Man, I told you."

Zidane glared at him. "Oh, just shut up." Huffing, he turned and stomped up the stairs, leaving Blank snickering slightly.

Reaching his room once again, Zidane stepped in and closed the door behind him. The sight of his messy room, with the unkempt bed and overflowing desk, made him wince. He had a lot of work to do.

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><p>Garnet breathed in deeply, marveling at how wonderful the sea air was as it rushed past her face. She was on the airship, thanks to its faster speed, but they still soared over an ocean. Too jumpy to sleep, the princess had refused to go to bed, and instead stood on the deck of the ship, staring out over the sea.<p>

She had changed out of the dress, into her travel clothes, an orange jumpsuit with a white blouse beneath. Buckles wrapped around her thighs, and her red-gloved fingers brushed back hair from her face, before moving down past the black choker to the pendant that hung around her neck. The jewel that was set into it was a beautiful one, with a glowing, pearly hue. It was a prized possession of Alexandria, and Garnet intended to take good care of it.

They were well on their way to Lindblum by now. Garnet had been feeling a little upset in the beginning of the trip. She had attempted to cheer up her mother, Queen Brahne, before she left, but had failed. The queen had still been grumpy, even as she hugged her daughter goodbye.

Now, though, the princess was filled only with delight, excitement, and a touch of the nerves. In this overseas country, what new things would await her? What new sights, sounds, and knowledge would she be introduced to? And _school... _How would that go? Despite her previous confident words, there was going to be _someone _who recognized her, even if it was not immediate. Then, it would be more trouble to attend the public school.

Garnet shook her head, long hair flapping about in it's low ponytail. She mustn't think that way. She would try her best, the whole time.

Suddenly, a voice sounded behind her, causing her to startle a little and turn. "Princess- Oh, excuse me for startling you- we will be arriving in ten minutes. If you continue looking out across the ocean, you shall soon see the city of Lindblum ahead." The guard who had spoken soon turned and resumed his original position beside the door.

Garnet nodded, turning back to face the wind. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she had to remind herself to retain composure. She was still a princess. She would not be a school student until tomorrow. _Tomorrow..._

The sun had begun to set. As the fiery orb began to disappear underneath the horizon, a large castle, surrounded by huge buildings and structures, seemed to rise out of the sea ahead, as it came into view. Garnet gave a quiet gasp, holding a hand to her mouth. The sight of Lindblum brought the curious thoughts and questions rushing back into her mind, and, this time, the young girl let them run free.

Tomorrow, her new life began, even if just for a short time.

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><p><strong>Ehhhh, it's a little shaky... Hopefully I'll get better at it! ^^ Please review. I'd love to hear what you guys have to say.<strong>


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